The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-10-29
)LFAX GRANT PARISH La SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20. 1884,


United Labor Party of America.
The following is the platform of
the United Labor party of America,
adopted at Syracuse, N. Y, Aug.
10, 1887, and which will govern the
laboring classes in that State in
the approaching election:
eve, the delegates of the United
Labor party Of New York, in State
convention assem- bled, hereby reassert,
as the fundamental platform of the
party, and the basis on which we ask
the cooperation of citizens of other
States, the following declaration of
principles adopted on Sept. %, 1886,
by the convention of trade aud labor
associations of the city of New York,
that resulted in the formation of the
United Labor party:
Holding that the corruption of
government and the impoverishment
Of labor result from neglect of the
self-evident truths proclaimed by the
founders of this republic that all men
are created equal and are endowed by
their Creator with unalienable rights,
we aim at the abolition of system
which compeis men to pay their fellow
creatures for the use of Gods gifts to
all and permits monopolizers to deprive
labor of natural opportunities for en-
ployment, thus filling the land with
tramps and paupers ard bringing about
an unnatural competition which tends
to reduce wages to starvation rates
n md tn raoEo the xvool<I ~
industrial slave of those who grow
rich by his toll.
Holding, moreover, that the ad-
vantages arising from social growth
and improvement belong to society at
large, We aim ut the syste m which
makes such beneficent inventions as
the railroad and telegraph a means for
the oppression of the people and the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to an aristOcracy of
wealth and power. We declare the
true purpose of government to be the
maintenance of that sacred right of
property which gives to every one
opportunity to employ his labor, and
security that lc shall enjoy its fruits
to prevent the strong from Expressing
the weak, and the INSCRIPTIONS from
robbing the honest; and to do for the
equal benefit of all such things as can
be better done by organized society
than by individuals; and we aim at
the abolition of all laws which give to
any class of citizens advantages either
judicial. financial, industrial or politi-
cal that are not equally shared By all
Others
1--WE call upon all who seek the
emancipation of labor, aud who would
make the American Union and its
component States Democratic COM
monwealths Of really free and inde-
pendent citizens, to ignore all minor
differences aud join with as in organ
izing q great national party on this |
broad platform of natural rights and |
equal justice. We do not aim at Sc
curing any forced equality in the dis
tributi0n of wealth. We do not pl O. |
pose that the State shall attempt to /
control production, conduct tiistribu-
ton, or in any wise interfere with the |
freedom of the individual to use his
labor or capital in any way that may
seem proper to him and that will not
interfere with the equal rights of others
"Nor do we propose that the State
shall take possession of land and either
work it or rent it out. What we pro- /
pose is not the disturbing Of any man
10 his holding or title, but by abolish
ing all taxes on industry or its products,
to leave to the producer the full fruits
OF his exerti0n and by the taxation of
land values, exclusive of improve
ments, to devote to the common use
and benefit those values, which, arising
not from the excrtion Of the individual,
but from the growth of society, belong
Justly to the community as q whole.
"This increased taxation of land,
not according to its area, but according
to its value, must, while relieving the
working farmer and small homestead
owner of the undue burdens now inn
posed upon them, make it Improbable
to hold land for speculation, and Thus
throw open abundant opportunities
for the employment Of labor and the
building up Of homes.
while thus simplifying government
by doing away with the horde of off,
cials required BY the present system
Of taxation aud with its incentives to
fraud and corruption, we would further
promote the commonwealth aud fur
tiler secure the equal rights of all by
placing under public control such
agencies as are in their nature mono
poles. We would have our munich
palities supply their Inhabitants with [,
water, light and heat; we would have
the general governments issue all mOn-
8v. Wjf1l0uf fhe inter vanfion Of ha,,Es.